


Character Study: Bossuet

by TheBraveHobbit



Series: Taut [6]
Category: Les Misérables (2012), Les Misérables - All Media Types, Les Misérables - Victor Hugo
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-14
Updated: 2013-07-14
Packaged: 2017-12-20 03:33:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/882455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBraveHobbit/pseuds/TheBraveHobbit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Modern!AU Bossuet: Jester, Sentimentalist, Giver</p>
            </blockquote>





	Character Study: Bossuet

**Author's Note:**

> Part of my sandbox-style Modern!AU: Taut  
> Additional content can be found on my tumblr: elfjolras.tumblr.com

**Modern!AU Bossuet: Jester, Sentimentalist, Giver**

 

> _“Are you okay?”_   
>  _“I…I don’t know. I’m only twenty-five.”_   
>  _“Listen, I—”_   
>  _“I mean…I’m going to be bald! With this egg-head!”_   
>  _“We can get you wigs, I’m sure. And hats, and—”_   
>  _“Are you kidding? You better just go buy R some sharpies. We can make this fun.”_

Everyone calls him Bossuet. He prefers it that way. He gets the name l’Aigle from his father, and though he doesn’t ever speak poorly of the man, there’s a comfort that comes with keeping distance between them. The only thing Bossuet inherited from his father was his perpetual bad luck…and a mean-tempered bird they laughingly call Lesgueules, who only sings for Joly and bites everyone but Musichetta.

When Bossuet was seven, he tripped over a black cat into a line of mirrors stacked beneath a ladder in an alley behind an antique shop. At least, that’s the event he likes to cite if anyone ever comments on his bad luck; nobody has ever been able to verify the truth behind his claims. For the most part, it’s accepted that it’s as good of an explanation as can be offered. He does seem to have a bit of an unlucky streak. Joly’s fond of tweaking his cheek and teasing that he’s the human incarnation of Murphey’s law, a comment that frequently has the pair of them in stitches.

Bossuet’s the type of person who could set fire to the kitchen while making PB&J, who ends up with two flat tires every time it rains, and who stubs his toe every morning when he crosses the room to turn off his alarm. Still, he’s always been cheery about his misfortunes. Having a father who gambled away their savings and left their family more or less destitute might upset others, but Bossuet only laughed. It was the sort of thing to expect from the senior l’Aigle, and Bossuet’d never had much of a taste for school anyway. Being without the money for tuition gave him the perfect excuse to drop out of his degree. Becoming homeless was a bit more concerning, or it would have been if Joly hadn’t just handed over his key. Joly was more or less permanently stuck at the hospital, and his apartment was paid for the next year. It was a simple thing and neither of them ever discussed Bossuet moving out once he’d established himself.

Bossuet and Joly have known each other since high school. They went to dances together, even after Bossuet moved off to school and had to drive back to take them. Since Joly was sixteen, they’ve rarely gone more than a day without communicating in some way, even if it was only texting between class. In all that time, Bossuet had never known Joly’s fatalistic frets to be accurate. He doesn’t mind the worry—he knows that Joly can’t help it, and that concern is how he cares—but it’s never been malaria and it’s never been salmonella and okay it was the flu  _ **once**_ but mostly it’s just seasonal allergies.

It started with just feeling tired, but they’ve been so busy. And then there was a fever, but there was a bug going around the university (Joly had taken a week off, just to be safe). And then he started having trouble keeping his breath. Joly was certain it was pneumonia. It was the first time they’d ever really wished he had been right. Neither of them had been prepared for the diagnosis to be cancer.

 _It’s treatable,_  the doctor tells them.  _He’s probably going to be fine; it’s all very routine, but things aren’t going to be easy._

That makes Bossuet laugh, and even Joly manages to crack a smile. Musichetta squeezes both their hands. It’s never been easy, but it’s going to be okay.


End file.
